Cumberland Geological Society board member Fred Walsh (left) and Fundy Geological Museum curator Tim Fedak look over the new display that will be promoting the museum at the Nova Scotia border visitor centre. The museum will host the 49th annual Nova Scotia Gem and Mineral Show and Sale on Aug. 15-17.

This year’s event will follow the formula that has made the previous 48 events successful, but with added activities that will expand the show beyond the buzz of dealers and demonstrations at the Lions Arena to include a slate of “Rockhound Days” events at Fundy Geological Museum.

Museum activities will include panning for gold on Friday, Aug. 15 at 2 p.m., while Saturday will feature live reptiles from the Maritime Reptile Zoo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday will include horseback riding, face painting and more from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Students will also be working in the lab, and then going out to talk to people, so there’s going to be a lot of activity at the museum as well as at the gem show,” said museum curator Tim Fedak, overseeing his first gem show since taking over the post last month.

The idea is not to draw away from the main show at the arena, but to grow the event and make it even more appealing as a whole, according to Cumberland Geological Society board member Fred Walsh.

“This is one of the main weekends, and we usually have 3,300-3,500 people through this town,” he said. “So we want to try and lure them down to the museum to see what’s here. There’s a lot to see, and we want to start sharing it with everybody.”

Space at the arena for the three-day event is booked solid, with 32 vendors from across the region and beyond to be on hand with their gems, minerals and other wares. Daily demonstrations will also be available, as will daily beach walks to local geological sites of importance, with John Calder leading an East bay walk on Friday, Howard Donohoe leading a Five Islands Provincial Park walk on Saturday, and Ken Adams will lead a Clarks Head walk on Sunday.

See below for a full show schedule.

"There's no better way to learn about the province's geological heritage than to interact with leading experts and enthusiasts from around the region," said Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister Tony Ince. "I thank the organizers and countless volunteers that work hard to make the show a memorable experience every year."

Meanwhile, the Parrsboro and District Board of Trade will be holding its annual Old Fashioned Saturday Night activities on Aug. 16, rescheduled after post-tropical storm Arthur derailed their plans on July 5.

Each day will feature daily demonstrations at the following booths: Global Gemstone, Scotia Gems, Stone Age Studio, and N.S. Prospectors, as well as daily ticket draws. Demos will be offered throughout the day. Please stop at each site to confirm;

Each day will also feature blueberry cake and sauce at the back of the arena at 2 p.m., and a penny auction at the Fundy Geological Museum booth starting at noon on Friday and continuing until 4 p.m. on Sunday;

Rockhound Days at the Museum will include lab talks in the gallery on each day, as well as gold panning at 2 p.m. on Friday, the Maritime Reptile Zoo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and Spirit Reins Horseback Riding on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.;

Geology tours for the weekend will feature John Calder at East Bay on Friday at 11:30 a.m., Howard Donahoe at Five Islands Provincial Park on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., and Ken Adams at Clarks Head on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

Cumberland Geological Society board member Fred Walsh (left) and Fundy Geological Museum curator Tim Fedak look over the new display that will be promoting the museum at the Nova Scotia border visitor centre. The museum will host the 49th annual Nova Scotia Gem and Mineral Show and Sale on Aug. 15-17.